KARACHI: Once again Pakistan players will be not part of the auction although two Pakistan-born players - Azhar Mahmood (England) and Fawad Ahmad (Australia) - have been listed.

Crowned Ashes heroes Mitchell Johnson, Brad Haddin and Steven Smith are part of a group of 31 players that has attracted the highest base price of Rs 20 million (US$ 320,000 approx.) for the IPL player auction to be to be held in Bangalore on February 12-13. They are part of the 233-strong auction list of capped players from ten countries, which was finalised by the IPL last week and distributed to the eight franchises.

There are 46 Indians on the list including prominent players like Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag, Dinesh Karthik, Pragyan Ojha and Yusuf Pathan, all of whom have been listed at the top base price of Rs 20 million. Irfan Pathan, the allrounder, is not in the top bracket
but has been valued at Rs 15 million.

Varun Aaron, the fast bowler who is currently with the national team in New Zealand, has skipped the auction.

Among the overseas players, some of the notable names missing are the Sri Lanka pair of Kumar Sangakkara and Dinesh Chandimal, Australia's Michael Clarke and Mitchell Marsh, England's Stuart Broad, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, and West Indies fast bowler
Kemar Roach.

Alex Hales, currently the No. 1-ranked batsman in Twenty20 internationals, is also searching for a top-bracket deal after that became a clause in the agreement he made with his county Nottinghamshire to be allowed into the auction. Both Hales and Samit
Patel will only be allowed to participate should they secure the most lucrative contracts available.

Source: APP